Where can I get my new uke setup?

Hello All, I'm just a Newbie.

I bought my uke before I discovered this forum. I regret not buying my Uke from a place that did a setup before it was shipped. I have a Kala KA-TEM Exoctic Mahogany Tenor and yes I love it.

However, I can't keep it tuned and while I'm practicing my cords, it keeps going out of tune and sounds bad. I know that my fingers are deformed pretzels, going all the wrong way,...I am the blame for most of the awful sounds. Is the tuning issue because the Aquila Nylgut strings are still new?

I just had my Uke for less than a week.

Because I did not have a proffessional set up on my uke, should I go to a Uke repair or setup place to have it checked over? Or wait till I get more time and experience on the Uke?

Thanks for your help!

:shaka:

Hello and welcome to UU and the joy of playing ukulele. The issue you are having is that the strings are new and they are still streching. This is common with all ukulele strings and Aquila seem to take longer then most to settle in. I find it takes around 7-10 hrs of actual playing time for them to become stable and hold their tune. I am assuming you are checking them with some type of tuning device

Don't worry about a set up at the moment, it is not the end of the world. My first uke was bought off the shelf just like yours and I learned a lot over the first three months before having it set up.

Don't bother. Like DownUpDave said, your strings are still stretching.

The 'setup' you get for free from some retailers is usually nothing more than checking string height and minor adjustment to the saddle (sanding a little off the bottom, typically). Maybe string height at the nut. You've missed something between nothing and not much.

Play it until the strings settle. Then measure string height and check for buzz and decide whether it actually needs work. If it does, decide whether to pay somebody to do that work or learn to do it yourself.

I bought most of my Ukes from stores without setups, and they play fine now. Just wait and see what happens. ld:

Do a search on this site for " setup " , it is easy to do it yourself if your uke needs it.

I agree with the rest. It takes a little while for the strings to stretch out. But it could also be your tuning. When I first started I got a string tuned an octave off. I thought that my uke was trash, but then figured it out, got that string tuned where it was supposed to be, and my uke was fine.

Welcome Jane. I agree with everyone, all strings take a few days if not a couple of weeks to settle in. Where do you live? I'm sure someone near you would have a suggestion of where you could go if or when the time comes. I've actually had good experiences with both Sam Ash in Hollywood, California and Guitar Center in West Los Angeles (though some people don't like those chain stores).

For me, the greatest benefit of a proper setup is good intonation up the neck (toward the body). An easy way to test this is to hold down each of the four strings in the 12th fret. Each string should play the same note as the open (unfretted) string, just one octave higher. So when your open C string plays a C note when you pluck it, it should still play a C note when you fret the string in the 12th fret.

As others have noted, it takes time for strings to stretch.

That said, since you're a beginner I'm going to offer another important tip. When you press a string down, make sure you are pressing it down just hard enough to sound the note on that particular string clearly. If you press down too hard you can cause the note to play out of tune. It'll be sharp. The pressure needed to properly play notes can vary from instrument to instrument and depend on the kind of strings, setup, etc. Right now just focus on finding what works with the uke you currently have. As others have noted, you can look deeper into any possible setup issues after the strings have finished stretching and also after you make sure your technique is decent.

Have fun!

Hi UU Forum!

I appreciate all your input and advice. I was disheartened by my practice yesterday. I did not know how much the ukulele can get out of tune from just the new strings!
Also, Being a newbie, I didn't realize I had been pushing down too hard and that is why the cords have been sounding really awful. So I replayed with a softer touch and the uke sounded in tune. (Thanks Jer)

Thank you all, I feel so much better now, so it's time to practice! Yay!

There is a chance that your ukulele is set up too high. Jer has a point...you only need to press down as hard as needed to seal the string on a fret. But with a tenor string tension is higher and you really shouldn't be able to play it out of tune by over pressing on the strings (this is easier to do on a soprano and on more "stretchy" strings...your Kala likely has Nylgut strings that are not as stretchy as others, particularly the stretchy cheap strings that come with the Mahalos we bought for our school).

However if the "action" (space between string and frets) is set too high at the nut (less likely on a Kala) or saddle (very likely), that can be addressed. You can either learn how to sand down the saddle yourself (lots of videos on YouTube) or find a string instrument repair expert ("luthier") who will do this for you (it will cost money).

If you buy a string action ruler (Amazon--$6) you can check the height of your strings easily. At the 12th fret (the half way point on any ukulele), the action should be under 3mm (HMS:The Ukulele Site suggests 2.65mm as a general number. Some like it even smaller, but this generally doesn't cause a buzz.

If you are going to fall in love with this instrument, they will multiply in your home. I wish they did so freely like rabbits, but you will find yourself spending money on them. As you get new ones, it is empowering to be able to check for action, buzzes, and intonation before purchase.

And finally...if you are in the US, there are three exceptional ukulele vendors out there that are known for great prices and including set-ups: The Ukulele Site, The Uke Republic, and Mim's Ukulele. You also might have good stores near you that will take care of you!

Enjoy your new Kala!